But the more I think about it the more I want Greg Little. It seems that Cam will be here as long as Harbs is here. Since Cam isnt a fan of using our 2 fastest WRs (stallworth and Reed) I say we look at Little. This guy has the potential to be the next TO. Im very intruiged w/ him

Who are some guys that you want/like personally? Guys that we could possibly draft.

-FB Owen Marecic Stanford
Love this guy. I got to watch him every game for the past few years and he would fill the FB spot (assuming McClain is gone). He was a key part of some great running game the past two years.

-WR Niles Paul Nebraska From what I've seen he seems like a tough receiver who would fit in. 4.42 speed wouldn't hurt and he has some return ability.

-OLB Sam Acho TexasHeard him on the podcast and sounded like a guy with his head on straight. Had a nice day at the combine with the top 3 cone for all DL/LB. Seemed like a good guy and I just hope the best for him.

-OLB Dontay Moch NevadaHe's a guy who people wow over his athletic numbers, but I think that behind those nice times is a guy who actually is a good player. Had some good stats (42 TFL, 15 sacks last 2 years) although it was in the WAC.

-CB Richard Sherman StanfordMore of a 7th-UDFA prospect but he has legit 6-2 size and has some athletic ability. He honestly isn't that great of a CB but he was a converted WR during college and has room to develop as a CB.

Not all premiere players but some guys that I like as players.

Marecic is a boss. I'd love for us to draft him. We need a true FB on the roster.
Niles Paul does some good things, but really struggles catching the ball. Saw a lot of him this year in the Big 12 and had some pretty rough outings. Definitely has the size/speed ratio you look for though.
Acho has been a pretty big stud for the past two years. Played better than Kindle Came as a junior. From a small SPC private school (St. Marks) and wasn't ranked highly on recruiting sites. He dominated my high school team though and you could tell he was special. Not that big but a great athlete. In the Business Honors program here at Texas which is next to impossible to get into and had a 3.5+ GPA graduating in 3 and half years. Did a marketing project on pro athletes and how they damage their reputation with their off-the-field issues. Real smart guy who probably won't be a star, but probably a Pro Bowl Special Teamer and a decent backup that's one of the most respected guys in the league.

I would be thrilled to get Wilkerson, Jordan, Jimmy Smith, Brooks Reed, Paea, or Aaron Williams. I'm not a huge Aldon Smith fan, and I think Torrey Smith and Rahim Moore are reaches in the late first. I don't see Baldwin transferring his game to the pro's so I wouldn't want him.

Niles Paul does some good things, but really struggles catching the ball. Saw a lot of him this year in the Big 12 and had some pretty rough outings. Definitely has the size/speed ratio you look for though.

I hate WRs that cant catch the ball. Its something that has to just be natural. That statement makes me dislike him a little bit.

Well it's two weeks til the first round. Anyone picked up any intriguing insight towards our pick?

I'm hoping for Muhammad Wilkerson, but I have a feeling he'll go way earlier. I could see Brooks Reed being available and our BPA, or even Marvin Austin. Regardless of who we pick, I think we rebuild the trenches with this pick.

Marvin Austin would be the worst first round pick in Ozzie's tenure. He has elite athletic ability, yet never could do anything on the field. Austin isn't a fit for our team anyways since he's pretty much a 3-technique and nothing else. Using him as a 5-technique (especially the way we use the 5-technique opposite of Ngata) would be utterly useless.

I think our first round pick will be Jimmy Smith, Derek Sherrod, Justin Houston, Muhammad Wilkerson, Akeem Ayers, Ryan Kerrigan, or Brooks Reed. Maybe one of the other OTs as well but Sherrod seems to be the best fit.

I'd add Cam Heyward to c0's list as there are some journalists who seems absolutely convinced we'll take him, but otherwise I agree with it.

I think the journalists (Baldinger) are just saying we like Heyward because he's a 5-technique that has good value at 26. I don't disagree with that but he's not really a good fit IMO, and we haven't had him in for a visit or have had a workout with him.

The only journalists I trust with Ravens news are Aaron Wilson and Jamison Hensley along with draft gurus like Scott and Kiper (only because he's closer to the Ravens than he is with other teams, not necessarily because he's good). Will Spencer isn't a bad source of Ravens draft info either, he seems to be connected to the team.

I think the journalists (Baldinger) are just saying we like Heyward because he's a 5-technique that has good value at 26. I don't disagree with that but he's not really a good fit IMO, and we haven't had him in for a visit or have had a workout with him.

The only journalists I trust with Ravens news are Aaron Wilson and Jamison Hensley along with draft gurus like Scott and Kiper (only because he's closer to the Ravens than he is with other teams, not necessarily because he's good). Will Spencer isn't a bad source of Ravens draft info either, he seems to be connected to the team.

Heyward doesn't fit any of those, perhaps he thinks he's a pass-rusher since he plays DE... If we played a more traditional front I would be all over Heyward, but as it stands we don't and I don't see him upgrading a whole lot for us. There's a few prospects that I like a lot but don't think would be good fits for us this year :(.

I don't see us coming out of the draft with an "upgrade" at any position in the front seven. Most likely we're going to take Pittsburgh's approach and take a player who might develop over a year or two and step into the starting role.

Cory Redding isn't the long term solution at the other 5 tech, base end, weak-side 34E, whatever you want to call it. So naturally, most draft analysts consider any player that fits that mold to be a plausible pick for us. That pick could be Wilkerson, Heyward, Christian Ballard or Marvin Austin (yes I know you don't like that but it isn't out of the question).

Justin Houston, Brooks Reed, Akeem Ayers, maybe even Bruce Carter if we trade down, are all guys who wouldn't be expected to make major contributions while learning behind JJ and Suggs, but instead play a similar role to Suggs in his rookie year. Obviously they won't likely have that production but they'll be used the same way.

One scenario I actually do think we could get a legit upgrade right away is on the o-line. We might have to trade up, but a player like Gabe Carimi could come in right away as a right tackle (since Harbs is sticking with Oher out left) or Mike Pouncey could start at guard and move in to Center after Birk hangs em up.

I don't see us coming out of the draft with an "upgrade" at any position in the front seven. Most likely we're going to take Pittsburgh's approach and take a player who might develop over a year or two and step into the starting role.

Cory Redding isn't the long term solution at the other 5 tech, base end, weak-side 34E, whatever you want to call it. So naturally, most draft analysts consider any player that fits that mold to be a plausible pick for us. That pick could be Wilkerson, Heyward, Christian Ballard or Marvin Austin (yes I know you don't like that but it isn't out of the question).

Justin Houston, Brooks Reed, Akeem Ayers, maybe even Bruce Carter if we trade down, are all guys who wouldn't be expected to make major contributions while learning behind JJ and Suggs, but instead play a similar role to Suggs in his rookie year. Obviously they won't likely have that production but they'll be used the same way.

One scenario I actually do think we could get a legit upgrade right away is on the o-line. We might have to trade up, but a player like Gabe Carimi could come in right away as a right tackle (since Harbs is sticking with Oher out left) or Mike Pouncey could start at guard and move in to Center after Birk hangs em up.

I don't think that's a given yet. The offensive line played really bad last season, and it wasn't just because Yanda was moved out to RT which led Chester to start at RG.

Everything else makes sense, and I'd also be surprised if we came away from the draft with an immediate starter. This is especially true if we draft a DE/OLB, since I don't think there's any way we reduce JJ's playing time in a significant way. Ideally we would be able to get a DE that could rush the passer and kindle comes back (in a limited role at first, which is fine) but that's too much hoping IMO. FWIW Bruce Carter wouldn't play OLB for us, he'd be the #2 ILB.

I still don't see how Austin is plausible in the first at all. He doesn't have the size or skill-set to be a 5-technique, even the hybrid DE role that we have a need at. Add in Austin's poor intangibles with his highly inconsistent and mostly underwhelming game-tape and I don't see how he's a first round possibility for the Ravens at all.

Well, agree to disagree. I think Carter still has rush skills so he could play on the outside. I don't see him sorting through trash like Ellerbe and McClain do. That's the problem with Gooden, so I don't see a WLB type playing besides Ray.

Well, agree to disagree. I think Carter still has rush skills so he could play on the outside. I don't see him sorting through trash like Ellerbe and McClain do. That's the problem with Gooden, so I don't see a WLB type playing besides Ray.

And I think that's the same monkey.

Gooden's problem is that he's far too soft. Carter probably isn't best suited to be taking on blockers either but we used the #2 ILB a lot on coverage last season and we got burned by it quite a bit as well. Carter's range and ability to cover would be a huge addition to that part of our defense. I'm not real confident that he could transition to a 3-4 OLB.

I agree with America in that Carter wouldnt be good enough sorting through traffic to be an ILB in a 3-4 but disagree on him being a 3-4 OLB. He'd be another Jarret Johnson type OLB with an average at best pass rush that doesnt provide enough of a threat opposite Suggs

Casey is really good at reading the line developing and penetrating. He's especially good at the zone blitz, coming through untouched. He engages well extending his arms and keeping blockers from getting a grip on his pads. He can get washed if he lets them into his body, but who doesn't. He uses his quickness more than his strength to dodge pulling guards and make the play.

I really like Martez Wilson out of high school. But he's still a huge enigma. He can either turn it on and be lights out, or look lost out on the field. Surprisingly despite his size he gets engulfed by blockers and sometimes looks like he's given up. Definitely looks like a 4-3 guy exclusively. I wouldn't trust him in coverage though, he doesn't bend his knees that well and isn't quick out of his breaks, running upright instead of staying low. That's reaffirmed by his combine workouts in the 3 cone drill and shuttle.

Wilson is a huge mystery to me. From what I've seen he's definitely not a MLB in a 4-3 scheme, but he could play inside in the 3-4 and well as OLB in either front. In my opinion his best fit might be as a 3-4 OLB, although he was never a consistent pass-rusher in college. I agree with America that I wouldn't want him in coverage, and the more I think about it the more I don't really want him (in the first round at least).

Wilson is a huge mystery to me. From what I've seen he's definitely not a MLB in a 4-3 scheme, but he could play inside in the 3-4 and well as OLB in either front. In my opinion his best fit might be as a 3-4 OLB, although he was never a consistent pass-rusher in college. I agree with America that I wouldn't want him in coverage, and the more I think about it the more I don't really want him (in the first round at least).

He could be a good value in the second round but I think his best fit is as a 43 WILL. He's got good speed and length and can get around the outside, but he just needs to be able to track down the ballcarrier without having blockers on him.